The federal government initiated a campaign to sell liberty bonds at a lowinterest rate to Americans.

Audience

The general public

Purpose

People bought liberty bonds to support the war effort.

Historical Significance

In 1918, the federal government issued this poster as part of a campaign to finance the war by selling bonds. William Gibbs McAdoo, the Secretary of Treasury, had hoped to establish a broad market for government bonds by rallying the American public to purchase Liberty bonds. McAdoo recruited renowned artists to sell the idea to the American people, and orchestrated bond rallies that featured Hollywood stars such as Douglas Fairbanks, Mary Pickford, and Charlie Chaplin.